Method for controlling and implementing blackout in iptv networks

ABSTRACT

A media content broadcast blackout control method, comprising receiving a retune message requesting a blackout of a primary media content broadcast in specific regions, generating a playlist for each region comprising a content key wrapped in a region-specific media key, wherein the content key in the playlists for regions that are not subject to the blackout is configured to access the primary media content broadcast, and the content key in the playlists for regions that are subject to the blackout is configured to access an alternate media content broadcast, providing the playlists to client devices within each region, providing the primary media content broadcast to client devices whose region-specific media key unwraps the content key for the primary media content broadcast, and providing the alternate media content broadcast to client devices whose region-specific media key unwraps the content key for the alternate primary media content broadcast.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from earlierfiled U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/800,084, filed Mar. 15,2013, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of blacking out mediacontent broadcasts, particularly a method of blacking out media contentbroadcasts in specific regions over Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)systems.

BACKGROUND

Content providers and/or service providers routinely provide mediacontent broadcasts to client devices such as set-top boxes, mobilephones, personal computers, tablet computers, gaming consoles, and otherdevices. In some situations, a media content broadcast can be blackedout in one or more regions, such that the media content broadcast is notaccessible by client devices within the blacked-out regions. By way of anon-limiting example, as an attempt to increase in-person attendance ofa football game, a football league can request that a provider takesteps to black out video broadcasts of the football game to clientdevices located within the geographic region in which the football gameis being played, while not blacking out the broadcast in other regionsin which viewers are not as likely to physically attend the game. Insome situations, the primary media content broadcast can be blacked outand replaced with an alternate media content broadcast, such thatviewers in the blacked-out region who attempt to access the blacked-outmedia content broadcast are instead presented with the alternate mediacontent broadcast.

In traditional cable and broadcast television systems, blackouts can becontrolled by service providers and/or content providers. When aprovider chooses to blackout a particular media content broadcast in oneor more blackout regions, the provider can send a retune message in-bandto an integrated receiver-decoder (IRD) or blackout manager physicallylocated in each blackout region, such that any client devices in theblackout region that attempt to access the media content broadcastinstead receive an alternate media content broadcast. This systemrequires the physical presence of an IRD in each blackout region, andrequires regional processing of each blacked-out media contentbroadcast, including reception, decryption, transcoding and packaging,encryption, multiplexing, and transmission.

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) networks are increasingly common. Incontrast to the regional processing of blacked-out media contentbroadcasts in traditional television systems, IPTV networks are oftencentralized such that most processing functions are performed at acentral data center that feeds all regions directly. For example, IPTVnetworks can be centralized with edge-based distribution in whichcontent intended for an end-user client device can be encrypted at thecentral data center, and be transmitted to the end-user client devicedirectly over IP networks. The direct transmission of media contentbroadcasts from the central data center eliminates the need for an IRDto be physically present within each region. Some methods of blackingout media content broadcasts in IPTV systems have been developed,however they do not adequately prevent client devices in a blacked-outregion from gaining access to the blacked-out media content broadcast.

SUMMARY

What is needed is a method of blacking out media content broadcasts overIPTV networks centrally for one or more regions that prevents clientdevices in blacked-out regions from accessing the blacked-out mediacontent broadcast from other regions in which the media contentbroadcast is not being blacked-out. For example, the method shouldprevent a client device in a blacked-out region from using CGI/Web proxyservers to spoof its location in order to gain access to the blacked-outmedia content broadcast.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a media contentbroadcast blackout control method comprising receiving a retune messagefrom a provider, the retune message comprising a request for a blackoutof a primary media content broadcast in one or more of a plurality ofregions, generating a playlist for each of the plurality of regions,each playlist comprising a content key wrapped in a region-specificmedia key that is specific to the region associated with the playlist,wherein the content key in the playlists for regions that are notsubject to the blackout is configured to access the primary mediacontent broadcast, and wherein the content key in the playlists forregions that are subject to the blackout is configured to access analternate media content broadcast, providing the playlist associatedwith each of the plurality of regions to one or more client deviceswithin each of the plurality of regions, providing the primary mediacontent broadcast to one or more client devices whose region-specificmedia key unwraps the content key for the primary media contentbroadcast, and providing the alternate media content broadcast to one ormore client devices whose region-specific media key unwraps the contentkey for the alternate media content broadcast.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details of the present invention are explained with the help ofthe attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an operating environment for an InternetProtocol Television (IPTV) system that can be used to black out mediacontent broadcasts to client devices in one or more regions.

FIG. 2A depicts an embodiment of a region-specific playlist for a regionthat is not subject to a blackout of a primary media content broadcast.

FIG. 2B depicts an embodiment of a region-specific playlist for a regionthat is subject to a blackout of a primary media content broadcast, andinstead comprises information about an alternate media contentbroadcast.

FIG. 3 depicts a method for implementing and/or controlling a blackoutof a media content broadcast.

FIG. 4 depicts a non-limiting example of operation of an IPTV systemwhen no retune message has been received and no blackout is in place.

FIG. 5 depicts a non-limiting example of operation of an IPTV systemafter a retune message has been received and a blackout has beenimplemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an operating environment for an InternetProtocol Television (IPTV) system that can be used to black out mediacontent broadcasts 210 to client devices 102 in one or more regions 104.Media content broadcasts 210 can be broadcasts, such as videobroadcasts, that are sent from a content provider 106 to client devicesover IP networks. In some embodiments, Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR)can be used to transmit media content broadcasts 210. The client devices102 can be set-top boxes, mobile phones, personal computers, tabletcomputers, gaming consoles, or any other devices configured tocommunicate over IP networks. The regions 104 can be geographic regionsselected by the content provider 106 or a service provider that operatesan IPTV service. Each client device 102 can be physically located withina single region 104.

The system can comprise a Central Data Center 108 in communication withone or more edge caches 110 through a Content Delivery Network (CDN)112. The edge caches 110 can in turn be in communication with one ormore client devices 102 in one or more regions 104 through one or moreaccess networks 114. By way of a non-limiting example, FIG. 1 depicts anexample of the Central Data Center 108 in communication with threeregions 104, however the Central Data Center 108 can be in communicationwith any desired number of regions 104.

The Central Data Center 108 can comprise one or more integratedreceiver-decoders (IRDs) 116, a Transcoder 118, a Packager 120, anOrigin Server 122, and/or a Blackout Manager/Controller (BOM) 124. Oneor more media content broadcasts 210 can be received by the Central DataCenter 108 from providers 106 via the IRDs 116. In some embodiments, theIRDs 116 can receive single-program transport streams (SPTS) thatcomprise a single media content broadcast 210, and/or a multi-programtransport streams (MPTS) that comprise a plurality of media contentbroadcasts 210. By way of a non-limiting example, a sports broadcastersuch as ESPN can have more than one television channel, and can transmitmore than one channel as an MPTS, for example an MPTS that comprisesmedia content broadcasts 210 for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN Classic.

The media content broadcasts 210 that are received from providers 106can be decrypted at the receiving IRD 116, which can send the mediacontent broadcast 210 to the Transcoder 118. At the Transcoder 118, themedia content broadcast 210 can be multibitrate transcoded and beforwarded to the Packager 120.

The Packager 120 can break the media content broadcast 210 into chunks,and encrypt each chunk using a content key 206. The Packager 120 canchange the content key 206 at regular or varying time intervals, suchthat the Packager 120 uses different content keys 206 at different timesto encrypt media content broadcasts 210. In some embodiments, thePackager 120 can periodically rotate between a plurality of content keys206. In alternate embodiments, the Packager 120 can periodicallygenerate new content keys 206. The chunks can be encrypted such thatthey can be decrypted by client devices 102 that have access to the samecontent key 206 that was used during the encryption. The Packager 120can send the encrypted chunks to the Origin Server 122.

The Packager 120 can also comprise a Playlist Builder 126 configured togenerate an initial playlist. The initial playlist can be a manifestthat lists the locations 208 of the encrypted chunks of the mediacontent broadcast at the Origin Server 122. By way of a non-limitingexample, the initial playlist can comprise a uniform resource locator(URL) for each encrypted chunk of the media content broadcast 210. Theinitial playlist can also comprise the content key 206 that was used toencrypt the chunks of the media content broadcast 210.

The Blackout Manager 124 can comprise a Playlist Rebuilder (PLR) 128.The Playlist Rebuilder 128 can receive the initial playlist from thePlaylist Builder 126, and use the received initial playlist to generatea region-specific playlist 200 for each region 104. FIGS. 2A and 2Bdepicts exemplary embodiments of region-specific playlists 200. Eachregion-specific playlist 200 can comprise a protected control word 202that is unique to an individual region 104. The protected control word202 can be located in key tag of the playlist 200, and can be a key blobcomprising a content key 206 wrapped in a region-specific media key 204.The content key 206 can be the content key 206 that was used by thePackager 126 to encrypt the chunks of the media content broadcast, whichcan be the same for all regions 104. The region-specific media key 204can be unique to each region 104. The region-specific playlist 200 canalso comprise location identifiers 208 indicating the locations of theencrypted chunks of the media content broadcast 210 at the Origin Server122, for example URLs.

The Playlist Rebuilder 128 can return each region-specific playlist 200to the Packager 120, which can provide the region-specific playlists tothe Origin Server 122. The Origin Server 122 can in turn provide theclient devices 102 in each region 104 with the region-specific playlist200 associated with that region 104. By way of a non-limiting example,with reference to FIG. 1, the Origin Server 122 can provide the clientdevices 102 in Region B with the region-specific playlist 200 generatedby the Playlist Rebuilder 128 for Region B.

Each client device 102 can be provided with the media key 204 for theregion 104 in which it is physically located. In some embodiments, themedia key 204 can be specific to a media content broadcast 210, specificchannel, and/or specific provider 106. In other embodiments, the mediakey 204 can be general for all media content broadcasts 210 within aparticular region 104.

In some embodiments the Central Data Center 108 can further comprise anEncryption Key Manager 130, a License Server 132, and/or a FulfillmentManager 134. The Fulfillment Manager 134 can be configured to obtaininformation about the geographic location of individual client devices102. By way of a non-limiting example, a client device 102 can be amobile phone comprising a GPS system, and the Fulfillment Manager canreceive and use the client device's GPS coordinates to determine theregion 104 in which the client device 102 is located. The License Server132 can provide the client device 102 with the region-specific media key204 for the region 104 in which it is physically located. In someembodiments, the Fulfillment Manager 134 can detect when the clientdevice moves to a different region, such that the client device can beprovided with the region-specific media key 204 for its current region104. In some embodiments, the Encryption Key Manager 130 can providecontent keys 206 and/or protected code words 202 to the Packager 120.

In some embodiments, the License Server 132 can further determinewhether the client device 102 should receive a region-specific media key206. By way of a non-limiting example, the License Server 132 candetermine whether the client device 102 is associated with an accountauthorized to view the media content broadcast 210, such as whether theaccount includes a subscription to a premium movie channel. In theseembodiments, if the License Server 132 determines that the client device102 does not subscribe or have access to the channel of the mediacontent broadcast 210, the License Server 132 can be prevented fromproviding the region-specific media key 204 for the media contentbroadcast 210.

In operation, each client device 102 can use its region-specific mediakey 204 to unwrap the content key 206 for the media content broadcast210 from the protected control word 202 in the region-specific playlist200 it received. The client device 104 can use the location identifiers208, such as URLs, within the region-specific playlist 200 to locate theencrypted chunks of the media content broadcast on the Origin Server122, and decrypt the chunks using the unwrapped content key 206. In someembodiments, the client device 104 can access and view the media contentbroadcast 210 using HTTP Live Streaming (HLS).

FIG. 3 depicts a method for implementing and/or controlling a blackoutof a media content broadcast 210. When a provider 106 desires to have aprimary media content broadcast 210A blacked out within one or moreparticular regions 104, the provider 106 can transmit a retune messageto the Central Data Center 108. In some embodiments, retune messages canbe sent in-band and received by the IRDs 116. In other embodiments,retune messages can be sent to and received by the Blackout Manager 124directly. The retune message can include information about the primarymedia content broadcast 210A to be blacked out, the identity of one ormore individual regions 104 in which the primary media broadcast 210A isto be blacked out, and the identity of an alternate media contentbroadcast 210B that is to be substituted for the primary media contentbroadcast 210A within the blacked-out regions 104. Client devices 102within the blacked-out regions 104 can be given access to the alternatemedia content broadcast 210B, while client devices 102 within regions104 that are not blacked-out can be given access to the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A.

In some embodiments, the alternate media content broadcast 210B can be adifferent media content broadcast 210 that is also being received at theCentral Data Center 108 and encrypted by the Packager 120 using adifferent content key 206 than the primary media content broadcast 210A.By way of a non-limiting example, a sports broadcaster such as ESPN thatruns multiple channels can transmit a retune message to request that itsESPN channel be blacked out in a certain region 104 during the broadcastof a specific sporting event, and be substituted in the blacked-outregion 104 with its ESPNU channel. By way of another non-limitingexample, a service provider can transmit a retune message to replace amovie channel from one content provider 106 with a news channel fromanother content provider 106 in one or more regions 104. In someembodiments, the alternate media broadcast 210B can be a separateregular channel that remains available to client devices 102 of anyregion 104 on its normal channel. By way of a non-limiting example, whenthe ESPN channel is substituted with the ESPNU channel in a blackoutregion, ESPNU can remain separately available on its normal channel inaddition to replacing the regular ESPN channel.

At step 302, the retune message can be received at the Central DataCenter 108. At step 304, a new content key 206 can be used by thePackager 120 to encrypt chunks of the primary media content broadcast210A. By way of a non-limiting example, the Packager 120 can roll overto a new content key 206 and use the new content key 206 to encrypt thechunks of the primary media content broadcast 210A, and send theencrypted chunks to the Origin Server 122. The Packager 120 can generatean initial playlist indicating the locations 208 of the encrypted chunksof the Origin Server 122. In some embodiments, the content key 206 forthe alternate media content broadcast 210B can remain the same when theretune message is received, although in other embodiment the content key206 for the alternate media content broadcast 210B can change when thecontent key 206 for the primary media content broadcast 210A changesafter receipt of the retune message.

At step 306, the Playlist Rebuilder 128 can receive the initial playlistfrom the Playlist Builder 126, and generate region-specific playlists200 for each region 104. For those regions 104 that are not subject tothe blackout, the Playlist Rebuilder 128 can generate region-specificplaylists 200 comprising the content key 206 for the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A, wrapped in the region-specific media key 204.For those regions 104 that are subject to the blackout, the PlaylistRebuilder 128 can generate region-specific playlists 200 comprising thecontent key 206 for the alternate media content broadcast 210B, wrappedin the region-specific media key 204. The new content key 206 for theprimary media content broadcast 210A can be different than the contentkey 206 for the alternate media content broadcast 210B.

FIGS. 2A and 2B depict embodiments of region-specific playlists 200.FIG. 2A depicts an embodiment of a region-specific playlist 200 for aregion 104 that is not subject to a blackout, which comprises a contentkey 206 for the primary media content broadcast 210A wrapped in aregion-specific media key 204. The content key 206 for the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A can be the same for all regions 104 that are notsubject to the blackout, while the region-specific media key 204 can beunique to each region 104. FIG. 2B depicts an embodiment of aregion-specific playlist 200 for a region 104 that is subject to theblackout, the region-specific playlist 200 comprising a content key 206for an alternate media content broadcast 210B wrapped in aregion-specific media key 204. The content key 206 for the alternatemedia content broadcast 210B can be the same for all regions 104 thatare subject to the blackout in which the alternate media contentbroadcast 210B was substituted for the primary media content broadcast210B, while the region-specific media key 204 can be unique to eachregion 104.

At step 308, the region-specific playlists 200 can be provided to theclient devices 102 within each corresponding region 104. In someembodiments, the region-specific playlists 200 can be transmitted fromthe Playlist Rebuilder 128 to the Origin Server 122 via the Packager120. In alternate embodiments, the region-specific playlists 200 can betransmitted from the Playlist Rebuilder 128 directly to the OriginServer 122. The Origin Server 122 can transmit the region-specificplaylists 200 to the client devices 102 through the Content DeliveryNetwork 112, the edge caches 110, and/or the access networks 114.

At step 310, the Origin Server 122 can provide the chunks of theencrypted primary media content broadcast 210A to those client devices104 that unwrap the content key 206 for the primary media contentbroadcast 210A from the region-specific playlist 200 they received.These client devices 102 can have independently received aregion-specific media key 204 from the Encryption Key Manager 130 thatthey use to unwrap the content key 206 for the primary media contentbroadcast 210A from the protected control word 202 in theregion-specific playlist 200. These client devices 102 can use thelocation identifiers 208, such as URLs, within the region-specificplaylist 200 to access the encrypted chunks of the primary media contentbroadcast 210A on the Origin Server 122, and can decrypt the chunksusing the unwrapped content key 206 to view the primary media contentbroadcast 210A.

Similarly, at step 312, the Origin Server 122 can provide the chunks ofthe encrypted alternate media content broadcast 210B to those clientdevices 102 that unwrap the content key 206 for the alternate mediacontent broadcast 210B from the region-specific playlist 200 theyreceived. These client devices 102 can have independently received aregion-specific media key 204 from the Encryption Key Manager 130 thatthey use to unwrap the content key 206 for the alternate media contentbroadcast 210B from the protected control word 202 in theregion-specific playlist 200. These client devices 102 can use thelocation identifiers 208, such as URLs, within the region-specificplaylist 200 to access the encrypted chunks of the alternate mediacontent broadcast 210B on the Origin Server 122, and can decrypt thechunks using the unwrapped content key 206 to view the alternate mediacontent broadcast 210B.

FIG. 4 depicts a non-limiting example of operation of an IPTV systemwhen no retune message has been received and no blackout is in place. Inthis example, a primary media content broadcast 210A can be receivedfrom a content provider 106, denoted as Service X. The primary mediacontent broadcast 210A can be transcoded and encrypted at the CentralData Center 108. The Playlist Rebuilder 128 can generate aregion-specific playlist 200 for each region 104. In this example,separate region-specific playlists 200 are generated for Region A andRegion B. The region-specific playlists 200 can comprise differentregion-specific protected key words 202 that allow the client devices102 in each region 104 to access the same content key 206 with theirregion-specific media keys 204. By way of a non-limiting example, forRegion A the Playlist Rebuilder 128 can generate Playlist X-A comprisinga protected control word 202 denoted as “X-A key blob 0.” Similarly, forRegion B the Playlist Rebuilder 128 can generate Playlist X-B comprisinga protected control word 202 denoted as “X-B key blob 0.” While “X-A keyblob 0” and “X-B key blob 0” can be different because each uses adifferent region-specific media key 204, the different region-specificmedia keys 204 can wrap the same content key 206 for the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A. Client devices 102 in each region 104 can accesschunks of the primary media content broadcast 210A using the locationidentifiers 208 in the region-specific playlist 200. For example, theclient devices 102 can access the first chunk of the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A at the URLhttp://ABCD.com/serviceX/ServiceX-0.ts, as listed in the region-specificplaylists 200A and 200B. The client devices 102 can decrypt each chunkof the primary media content broadcast 210A using the content key 206unwrapped from the protected key word 202 using their ownregion-specific media key 204. In this example, client devices 102 inboth Regions A and B can access and decrypt the same chunks of theprimary media content broadcast 210A.

FIG. 5 depicts a non-limiting example of operation of an IPTV systemafter a retune message has been received and a blackout has beenimplemented. In this example, the IPTV system can have been operating asshown in FIG. 4 until the content provider 106 Service X transmits aretune message indicating that the client devices 102 in Region B shouldbe blacked out of accessing Service X's primary media content broadcast210B, and the primary media content broadcast 210A should be substitutedwith an alternate media content broadcast 210B, denoted as ServiceX_Alt. The primary media content broadcast 210A and the alternate mediacontent broadcast 210B can be transcoded and encrypted at the CentralData Center 108 using different content keys 206. The Playlist Rebuilder128 can generate a region-specific playlist 200 for each region 104. Inthis example, separate region-specific playlists 200A and 200B aregenerated for the regions 102: Playlist X-A for Region A and PlaylistX-B for Region B. The region-specific playlists 200 can comprisedifferent region-specific protected key words 202 that allow the clientdevices 102 in each region 104 to access different content keys 206 withtheir region-specific media keys 204. In this example, because Region Bis subject to the blackout, the protected control word 202 “X-Alt-B keyblob 325” in Playlist X-B can comprise the content key 206 for thealternate media content broadcast 210B of Service X_Alt, and theprotected control word 202 “X-A key blob 100” in Playlist X-A cancomprise the content key 206 for the primary media content broadcast210A of Service X.

In this example, client devices 102 in Region A can access chunks of theprimary media content broadcast 210A using the location identifiers 208in Playlist X-A, such as the first chunk of the primary media contentbroadcast 210A at the URL http://ABCD.com/serviceX/ServiceX-100.ts, aslisted in Playlist X-A. Similarly, client devices 102 in Region B canaccess chunks of the alternate media content broadcast 210B using thelocation identifiers 208 in Playlist X-B, such as the first chunk of thealternate media content broadcast 210B at the URLhttp://ABCD.com/serviceX-Alt/ServiceX-Alt-325.ts, as listed in PlaylistX-B. The client devices 102 can decrypt each chunk using the content key206 unwrapped from the protected key word 202 using their ownregion-specific media key 204. In this example, client devices 102 inRegion A can access and decrypt chunks of the primary media contentbroadcast 210A, while client devices 102 in Region B can access anddecrypt chunks of the alternate media content broadcast 210B.

When a blackout has been implemented, client devices 102 in blacked-outregions 104 can be prevented from accessing and/or decrypting chunks ofthe primary media content broadcast 210A. For example, as shown in FIG.5 the client devices 102 in Region B can be provided with Playlist X-B.Because Playlist X-B includes location identifiers 208 for chunks of thealternate media content broadcast 210B, the client devices 102 can bedirected to the chunks of the alternate media content broadcast 210B,and the client devices 102 are not provided with the locationidentifiers 208 of the chunks of the primary media content broadcast210A from Playlist X-B.

However, even if a client device 102 in a blacked-out region 104 were toobtain the location identifiers 208 of the chunks of the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A, the client device 102 in the blacked-out region104 can be prevented from decrypting and viewing the primary mediacontent broadcast 210A, because the client device 102 in the blacked-outregion 104 has a region-specific media key 204 that unwraps the contentkey 206 for the alternate media content broadcast 210B, not the primarymedia content broadcast 210A.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, if a Region B client device 102 were toreceive Playlist X-A, for instance from a Region A client device 102,the Region B client device 102 can be prevented from decrypting thechunks of the primary media broadcast 210A because the Region B clientdevice 102 does not have the region-specific media key 204 that unwrapsthe content key 206 for the primary media content broadcast 210A. TheRegion B client device 102 can have a region-specific media key 204 thatdoes not correspond to the region-specific media key 204 used in theprotected control word 202 “X-A key blob 100.” The Region B clientdevice 102 would be prevented from unwrapping the content key 206 forthe primary media content broadcast 210A from “X-A key blob 100” becausethe Region B client device 102 does not have the region-specific mediakey 204 used to wrap the content key 206 for the primary media contentbroadcast 210A within “X-A key blob 100.” By way of a non-limitingexample, a client device 102 in a blacked-out region 104 can beprevented from using CGI/Web proxy servers to spoof its location inorder to gain access to the blacked-out media content broadcast 210.

When the blackout ends, such as at the end of the primary mediabroadcast 210A that was blacked-out in particular regions 104, thePlaylist Rebuilder 128 can return to generating region-specificplaylists 200 for each region 104 that include the same content key 206for the next primary media content broadcast 210A, such that all clientdevices 102 can access the next primary media content broadcast 210A,and the alternate media content broadcast 210B is no longer substitutedfor the primary media content broadcast 210A. In some embodiments,blackouts can end after a set period of time specified in the initialretune message. In other embodiments, the provider can send a secondretune message containing instructions to end the blackout.

Although the present invention has been described above withparticularity, this was merely to teach one of ordinary skill in the arthow to make and use the invention. Many additional modifications willfall within the scope of the invention, as that scope is defined by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A media content broadcast blackout control method,comprising: receiving a retune message from a provider at a central datacenter, said retune message comprising a request for a blackout of aprimary media content broadcast in one or more of a plurality ofregions; generating a playlist with a blackout manager for each of saidplurality of regions, each said playlist comprising a content keywrapped in a region-specific media key that is specific to the regionassociated with said playlist, wherein said content key in the playlistsfor regions that are not subject to said blackout is configured toaccess said primary media content broadcast, and wherein said contentkey in the playlists for regions that are subject to said blackout isconfigured to access an alternate media content broadcast; providingsaid playlist associated with each of said plurality of regions to oneor more client devices within each of said plurality of regions;providing said primary media content broadcast to one or more clientdevices whose region-specific media key unwraps said content key forsaid primary media content broadcast; and providing said alternate mediacontent broadcast to one or more client devices whose region-specificmedia key unwraps said content key for said alternate media contentbroadcast.
 2. The media content broadcast blackout control method ofclaim 1, further comprising: encrypting chunks of said primary mediacontent broadcast using said content key for said primary media contentbroadcast; and storing said chunks on an origin server.
 3. The mediacontent broadcast blackout control method of claim 2, further comprisingreplacing said content key for said primary media content broadcast witha new content key when said retune message is received.
 4. The mediacontent broadcast blackout control method of claim 2, wherein: each saidplaylist for regions that are not subject to said blackout furthercomprises location identifiers for chunks of said primary media contentbroadcast that were encrypted using said content key for said primarymedia content broadcast, and each said playlist for regions that aresubject to said blackout further comprises location identifiers forchunks of said alternate media content broadcast that were encryptedusing said content key for said alternate media content broadcast. 5.The media content broadcast blackout control method of claim 4, whereinsaid location identifiers are uniform resource locators (URLs) pointingto locations on an origin server.
 6. The media content broadcastblackout control method of claim 1, further comprising providing saidone or more client devices with the region-specific media keycorresponding to the region in which each said client device isphysically located.
 7. The media content broadcast blackout controlmethod of claim 1, wherein said primary media content broadcast and saidalternate media content broadcast originate from the same contentprovider.
 8. The media content broadcast blackout control method ofclaim 1, wherein said primary media content broadcast and said alternatemedia content broadcast originate from different content providers.
 9. Amedia content broadcast blackout control method, comprising: receiving aretune message from a provider, said retune message comprising a requestfor a blackout of a media content broadcast in at least one of aplurality of regions; rotating to a new content key for said mediacontent broadcast in response to said retune message, and encryptingsaid media content broadcast with said new content key; encrypting analternate media content broadcast with an alternate content key;generating a region-specific playlist for each of said plurality ofregions in response to said retune message, wherein the region-specificplaylist for a particular region that is subject to said blackoutcomprises said alternate content key wrapped in a media key that isspecific to said particular region, and the region-specific playlist fora particular region that is not subject to said blackout comprises saidnew content key wrapped in a media key that is specific to saidparticular region; providing client devices in each of said plurality ofregions with the region-specific playlist associated with the region inwhich the client device is located; de-encrypting and providing saidmedia content broadcast to client devices that received aregion-specific playlist comprising a media key that unwraps said newcontent key; and de-encrypting and providing said alternate mediacontent broadcast to client devices that received a region-specificplaylist comprising a media key that unwraps said alternate content key.10. A central data center for an Internet Protocol Television system,comprising: one or more integrated receiver-decoders configured toreceive media content broadcasts from one or more providers; a packagerconfigured to encrypt chunks of said media content broadcasts with acontent key; an origin server configured to store said chunks afterencryption; a playlist builder configured to generate an initialplaylist comprising the locations of said chunks on said origin server;a playlist rebuilder configured to generate region-specific playlistsfor each of a plurality of regions, each said region-specific playlisthaving a protected control word comprising said content key wrapped in aregion-specific media key.
 11. The central data center for an InternetProtocol Television system of claim 10, wherein said playlist rebuilderis: configured to generate a blackout region-specific playlist for eachof said plurality of regions that is subject to a blackout of a primarymedia content broadcast, each said blackout region-specific playlistcomprising the content key used to encrypt chunks of an alternate mediacontent broadcast wrapped in the region-specific media key for theregion subject to said blackout; and configured to generate anon-blackout region-specific playlist for each of said plurality ofregions that is not subject to said blackout of a primary media contentbroadcast, each said non-blackout region-specific playlist comprisingthe content key used to encrypt chunks of said primary media contentbroadcast wrapped in the region-specific media key for the region thatis not subject to said blackout.
 12. The central data center for anInternet Protocol Television system of claim 10, further comprising atranscoder configured to multibitrate transcode the received mediacontent broadcasts and forward the transcoded media content broadcaststo said packager.